Primary battery.



E. C. BRICE.

I PRIMARY BATTERY. APPLICATION FILED APR.24, 1912.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

EDWRB G. BEE, QF MIANSFIELD, ARKANSAS.

rumeur referrer.

To all/whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. Buren, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Sebastian and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Primary Batteries,

` of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to primary batteries, my more particular purpose being to produce a battery of this kind in Which depolarization is avoided or reduced to a mini- -mum, and in which a large output oit current at' a good voltage may be maintained for a long time Wit-hout the necessity of reiilling'the battery or of giving it any attention.

While the construction of my battery may be varied Within Wide limit-s and the materials employed may be changed or varied considerably, describe one representative form -ot the invention in order that its principle of operation may be readily understood. V

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters indicate like parts, the figure being a substantially central, vertical section through my improved battery,'in one of its simplest forms.

.The anode which in this instance is made of axnalgamated zinc is shown at l, and has a substantially truste-conical form. porous cup 2, which may be of the usual or any desired pattern, is slightly dared at its upper end and is substantially conceni tric to the anode. The porous cup, which is saturated with a depolarizing iiuid hereinafter described, is located within a cup 3 of massive, porous carbon. This carbon cup is located within a containing Vessel i, which may be of glass or other material suitable for the purpose of a containing vessel. riihe carbon cup 5 is provided with holes 5, inclined obliquely invard, und employed for the purpose of introducing the` depolnrizing fluid from time to time as needed. The carbon cup is the cathode ot' the buttery, lt is provided with nn 'unnulur flange T integral with it; und through this iiange extend holes (l which are used 'for the purpose ot .introducing a "liquid, torno ing u purl of u buttery fluid as herein described. I

A cf'mncctor is shown at 8, and is simply a cmuluctor used for connecting an aimde oi? one cup With the cathode of another cup,

Specication of Letters Patent.

'Application filed; April M, 1912.

raten-teu aan; 7,1913. Serial No. 692,984.

or as a terminal. The connector is mounted upon a clamp 9, which is provided with a set screw 10 for gripping the upper end of the anode. Each connector 8 is further provided with a clamp 1l carrying a set screw l2 and used for gripping the annular flange 7 of the carbon cup. The connectors, being old, need not be further described. Within the carbon cup 3 is a body of liquid 13 made by mixing together nitric acid and sodium chlorid (common salt) in the tollowing proportions: 36110 grams of nitric acid of 36 to 36.10 Baume and G40 grams of sodium chlorid. The sodium chlorid thus constitutes approximately 125% of the solution and the nitric acid constitutes about 873592; of the same.

The sodium chlorid and n small portion of the nitric acid react upon cach other and form sodium nitrate and llili/fdrochloric acid so that the result-ing liquid is u mixture of sodium chlorid, sodium nitrate, hydrochloric acid and free nitric acid. liquid as a Whole is a depolarizing solution, and absorbs gases as generated. The porous cup 2 is thoroughly saturated with a quantity of the depolarizing solution, and is then pressed downwardly into the body ot depolarizing solution contained Within the carbon cup, so that the level of the liquid rises nearly tothe top or' the carbon cup. A solution of strong brine, in the proportion of 1500 grams of pure Water, such as rain Water to 360 grams of sodium chlorid, is next poured into the porous cup Q. The sodium chlorid thus constitutes about 195% by weight ot the solution. The brine thus formed, and contained Within the porous cup, is the electrolyte proper, and is shown at lei. The carbon cup, theporous cup and the anode, being treated and assembled as above described, are as a unit let down into the containing vessel 14 in which is a body of liquid l5, the latter being preferably either brine of the kind above mentioned, or pure Water, as desired. The battery is now ready for use.

lf pure rain Water is used in the outer containing vessel it is soon permeated with the liquid contained within the carbon cup for the reason that the carbon cup, being porous, allows the liquid contained Within it to soak through its Wall and to become diffused through the rain Water. Owing to this feet, and to the fact that chemical changes are produced Within the liquid con- This Y l1911, Serial Number 629,826.

i Copies of this patent may be obtained `for tained within the outerA containing vessel and surrounding the carbon cup, the chemical composition of .the liquid within the cuter containing vessel soon undergoes A changes.

I find from experience that if brine of the kind above mentioned be employed atv the start as the liquid contained by the outer containing vessel the efficiency of the battery is much greater than if other liquids be employed in this relation. I also find from experience that lpure rain water used in the relation stated'is very good and that after thebattery has been in action :tor a little time its eiiiciency increases-owing apparently to the changes brought about in the character of the liquid in question, under action of the elect-ric current.

With the battery above described there is little or no polarization, and the current produced is very strong. The battery may be neglected for comparatively long periods of time without substantial impairment of its eiiiciency. 'The parts are readily accessible for the purpose of cleaning or renewing. The battery is cheaply constructed and may be operated at a small cost.

The particular compound used in this primary battery is made the subject matter of the co-pen'ding application tiled May 27,

What I claim is:

1. A battery comprising a containing vessel, a carbon cup extending down into the vessel in spaced relation to the walls thereof and having an outturned iange bearing upon the upper edge of said containin vessel to support the carbon cup, said ange having openings therethrough for the introduction of a substance into said vessel about the carbon cup, a porous cu inthe carbon cup in spaced relation to t e walls of the latter and having an enlargement at its upper end bearing upon the top of the carbon cup to close the space between thev carbon and porous cups, the carbon cup having openings leading from the top thereof down through its inner Wall for the introduction of asubstance into said space be'-- tween said cupsp, and a zinc member located in the porous cup. v l

2. A battery comprising a containing vessel, a carbon cup rarranged within the vessel and providing therewith an annular space above the carbon cup, said carbon cup having an outwardly extending iange bearing upon the upper edge of the containing vessel to close the same and being provided with vertical openings adapted for the introduction of water into saidannular space,

a porous'cup fitting in said carbon cup and providing therewith an inner annular space, said porous cup having a flaring upper end bearing against the upper edge of the carbon cup to close said inner annular'space, said carboncup being providedwith oblique openings extending from the top thereof into said innerannular space and adapted for the introduction of a depolarizing tiuid into the inner annular space, and a zinc pencil arranged within the porous cup and being provided with a substantial base whereby to support the pencil in upright position and an electrolyte contained within the porous cup about said pencil. i* y 3. A battery comprising a porous cup adapted to contain an electrolytg a pencil mounted in said porous cup and ving a reduced upper end for engagement with a battery connector, a carbon cup `surrouiriing said porous cup and adaptedto contain a depolarizing fluid exterior of the porous cup, said porous cup havinga flaring upper end which closes the upper end of the oarbon cup, a` containing vessel surrounding said carbon cup in spaced relation thereto and adapted to contain Water7 said carbon -cup being provided with an outwardly eX- tending flange bearing upon the upper edge of the containing vessel whereby to close the same, said flange extending beyond the side of the vessel and being thereat with a second battery connector, and having openings leading downwardlyl into the interior of the carbon cup and interior of said eontainin vessel.

provided In testimony w ereot I have hereunto setmy hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

l EDWARD o. Baron.

Witnesses:

S. A. GRAVES, W. L. YoWELL.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentsy i i Washington, D. C. A 

